We shall content ourselves with giving a slight account of the principal works in which Pushkin employed his great powers--powers which had now reached their highest point of vigour, retaining all the freshness and vivacity of youth, while they had acquired the maturity and solidity of manhood. The subjects of these works, however, being for the most part historical, are of a nature which renders them less susceptible of analysis in our pages--and indeed their local nature would cause such analysis to be devoid, in a great measure, of interest to the English reader. There is, however, one episode in the poet's life, which must possess peculiar interest to those who delight to watch that fond fidelity with which genius returns to the scenes where it was first developed, and which brought back Shakspeare, loaded with glory, to pass the calm evening of his life amid the native shades of Stratford. On quitting Moscow for St Petersburg, Pushkin passed a winter at Tsarskoe Selo. "This was a most blessed thought," he says, in a letter of 26th March; "I can thus pass my summer and _autumn_ in a most enchanting and inspiring seclusion; close to the capital, in the circle of my dearest recollections. I shall be able to see you every week, and Jukovskii also. Petersburg is within an hour's drive. Living is cheap here. I shall not want an equipage. What can be better?" And, in fact, it is certain that he never was so perfectly happy in his society and his occupations, and in himself, as in these summer and autumn months which he passed, as he says:-- "In those bright days when yet all ignorant of fame, And knowing neither care, system, nor art, nor aim, Thy tutelary shades, O Tsarskoe! were flinging Gay echoes to _his_ voice, the praise of Idlesse singing." The beautiful retirement of Tsarskoe Selo was at this period dignified by the presence of two great poets, each producing works worthy of the imperial groves under whose shade they were meditated. Pushkin and Jukovskii were not only residing here together, but they were engaged in a friendly rivalry, and each writing so industriously as though determined never to meet without some new poetic novelty. The deep impression produced by Jukovskii's patriotic stanzas, written at this period, entitled "Russian Glory," was worthily responded to by the noble poems written by Pushkin, "To the Slanderers of Russia!" and "The Anniversary of Borodino,"--all these works being spirited and majestic embodiments of national triumph and exultation. It is curious and delightful to remark, too, that the poets of Tsarskoe Selo were occupied, at this period, with the composition of two similar works of another and no less national character. These were "tales" or legends in the popular taste of the Russian people, that of Jukovskii was entitled "The Lay of the Tsar Berendei," and Pushkin's, "The Lay of the Tsar Saltan."